Melanie Perkins
She asked: Why does designing something have to be so complicated?
She said: “Every girl deserves to create a world-class career”
She is
the co-founder and CEO of Canva, and one of the youngest female unicorn founders in the world.
She is not in Silicon Valley, but in Australia; she is not a programmer, yet she created a design tool used by over 100 million people worldwide; she has no background, yet she built a unicorn company valued at over $40 billion.
01
She started with a thought
In 2007,Melanie was just a student at the University of Western Australia, working part-time teaching others how to use Photoshop and InDesign.
She found these software programs too complicated, with many students struggling for hours over a single typesetting feature.
So she asked herself a question:
“Why can’t designing be as simple as dragging and dropping?”
This thought became the starting point that changed her life.
She didn’t wait for opportunities to come knocking, nor did she have background resources; instead, she and her then-boyfriend Cliff wrote code and designed interfaces line by line in their bedroom, learning how to create products themselves.
They created a simple online tool to help schools design yearbooks—this was the predecessor of Canva:Fusion Books.
02
She didn’t give up after being rejected 100 times
Melanie knew that
if she wanted to make the idea of “everyone can design” impact the world,
she needed investment. But it was harder than she imagined.
She spent three whole years pitching to investors in Silicon Valley, but was rejected over 100 times.
The reasons were straightforward:
-
“You are not a programmer”
-
“You are too young”
-
“This is not a scalable business”
-
“The design software market is already dominated by Adobe”
But she didn’t stop.
With each rejection, she revised
her presentation, adjusted her delivery, and enhanced her visual language,
to help people see the “future product” in her mind.
Finally, she met former Google engineer Cameron Adams, who immediately recognized that this was not just a small tool, but a significant opportunity.
In 2013, Canva officially launched.
03
She redefined design
In its first year, Canva surpassed one million users.
It is different from Photoshop:
Canva requires no downloads, no tutorials, and has no complex interface—
drag, drop, and a few clicks, and you can design professional-grade visual content.
It serves not just designers, but everyone who needs to express themselves: students, teachers, small business owners, content creators, and non-profit organizations.
Melanie is not competing with Adobe,
she is reconstructing “who has the right to design”.
She said:
Technology should not make people feel afraid; it should empower every ordinary person.
Under her leadership, Canva insists on keeping core features free forever and continues to simplify the design process, making “design as easy as posting on social media”.
Today, Canva has entered over 190 countries, with a team of more than 3,000 people, and its products are used for resumes, reports, social media, presentations, business cards, and even government announcements.
04
She is changing the world through business
Canva
Melanie never shies away from her identity as a “female entrepreneur“. She knows this means higher barriers, but she also knows: this is her source of strength.
She has integrated this thinking into Canva’s corporate culture:
-
Over 50% of executives are women
-
Donating 99% of shares to charitable foundations
-
Donating 2% of profits annually to global education, environmental, and humanitarian projects
-
Refusing to be a “profit-only” company, aiming to be a “socially responsible company”
At Canva,
employees enjoy a high degree of freedom, including
bringing dogs to work, remote work, and open discussions on all issues.
She has grown the company but has not let it lose its human touch.
She also continuously encourages other female entrepreneurs:
Don’t wait for others to allow you to start. Be bold and try; failure is okay.
Melanie Perkins’ story is not a myth of “talent-based success”, but a reality:
When you see a problem,
dare to take action to change it,
even if it takes a little longer and is a bit harder,
you can make the world a better place because of you.
She proves:
# Canva #
Technology does not have to be realized through code,
it can also be achieved through vision and persistence.
Women do not need to become “leaders like men”
to lead a great company.
Even if you have never had a “halo”,
you can create your own light.
Feel free to leave a comment:
Do you find Canva easy to use?
Has the idea of “everyone can design” really been realized with Canva?
Column Director: CC
Previous Recommendations
▼
▪️Rihanna: “Escaped poverty at 15, worth $9 billion at 32” – Rihanna’s Ruin Aesthetic and Female Growth Storm
▪️Selena Gomez: From Sweet Child Star to Life’s Cheat Code▪️”Diving Queen” Guo Jingjing refuses the wealthy script: earning gold medals herself, choosing her own wealthy life, and determining her own days▪️After leaving Bill Gates, she became her own light
▪️From victim to Nobel Prize winner, her struggle continues
▪️Not relying on men or looks? Miranda Kerr’s B-side life is more exciting than gossip!
▪️She is a mother and also her most beautiful self
▪️From a small girl to a Supreme Court legend, Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s life is more exciting than a movie!
▪️From an ordinary East German girl to the first female Chancellor: Angela Merkel’s path to power
▪️Proactivity and sharpness are her more dazzling halo
▪️Zheng Qinwen 2:1 reverses into the French Open quarterfinals | She wins not just the match, but the right to say “I can”
▪️From magical girl to feminist icon, what has Emma Watson experienced along the way? She is no longer the Hermione you knew!
▪️Standing on the global stage, she is always her own loudest microphone
